Guided by Faith
by ocasille
Summary: Stefan's back in Mystic Falls and Elena doesn't take so kindly to his return. Sick of the abuse Stefan tells her why he really stopped Damon from killing Klaus, sending Elena into a panic.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries** **or any of the characters**

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><p>Elena rooted through her bag looking for the textbook she was so sure she had packed earlier this morning. She could practically see Ms. Carin's botoxed lips gleefully forming the words 'delayed exam'. She loved to torture her students and Elena theorized that it was because her own life was woefully inadequate and unfulfilling. She was reaching towards the bottom of her bag and losing hope when she barreled head long into an oncoming body. Elena looked up ready to tear into whoever it was that had almost thrown her off balance. It didn't matter that it was probably her fault for not looking where she was going, she was having a shitty start to a shitty day and she needed someone to take it out on. But he beat her to the punch.<p>

"Looking for this?" An all too familiar and none too welcome voice asked.

Elena looked into the smirking face of her ex-boyfriend and snatched her biology textbook from his hands.

"What the hell are you doing here, Stefan?" She tried to sound cutting but somehow just managed to sound exhausted.

"Someone had to bring you your biology book. We couldn't have you missing something as all important as a high school exam." He evaded her question with his new found, off putting sarcasm. It was really the last thing Elena needs right now and she had no patience for it.

"Aren't you just ecstatic to still be doing Klaus' bidding? Have to make sure his blood bag has everything she needs, huh?" she said, trying to fight fire with fire, but she wasn't very practiced in the art of sarcasm.

He smirked with a pompous air of superiority. "I am no longer under Klaus' compulsion."

This statement and the matter of fact way it is delivered almost knocks Elena off her feet more effectively than running into an anomalously strong vampire. But to her credit she recovered quickly.

"How exactly did you manage that? After you sabotaged our plan I figured you were bound to Klaus for eternity." She wanted to yell, she wanted to scream, she _wanted_ to get through to him. But this still wasn't the Stefan she knew, regardless if he was compelled by Klaus or not. So the uncharacteristic sarcasm was the only way she could think of to deal with him. Not that it would make any difference to him, it was probably just amusing him further.

A brief flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared to make way for the infuriating, I-know-something-you-don't smile that Elena had previously only associated with Damon.

"I have my ways," he answered, being purposely vague. The utter nonchalance of his answer snapped her will to not engage. Don't get mad no matter what he says, she had told herself. Stay cold and detached, anything else is just inviting the pain in.

"You don't even care that you screwed us over, do you? We were _doing _it for you! I guess it was my mistake thinking that there was anything left to save! Clearly the old Stefan is long gone." It was something she had suspected for a while now, but saying the words aloud brought it to a startling reality.

He looked angry now, something Elena hadn't expected. She expected him to laugh or scoff at her outburst.

"Quit playing the victim here, Elena. You're just mad because you wanted to score the credit for bringing me back to my former self. You wanted to be the one to rescue me, well guess what; I don't _need _rescuing, and I don't _want _it."

"Fine, you're pissed at me, I get it. Lexi warned me about this. But what about Damon? You know, your brother Damon? Yeah, he could have _died _fighting for this plan that you fucked up in two seconds."

Stefan laughed hollowly. "You really are delightfully clueless, aren't you?"

She threw him a confused look, not even bothering to try to decipher his meaning.

"Damon was tied to Klaus!" he yelled in exasperation. "Klaus had his witch cast a spell. If Klaus had died that night Damon would have gone with him."

Elena's eyes widened and her mouth formed and o as she tried to wrap her mind around this latest development.

Stefan snickered. "Yeah, I figured that might change your tune. Next time you have one of your bright ideas to try to take down an Original remember that you are _way_ out of your league."

"How did you-?"

"Klaus told Katherine, Katherine told me and once again I come to my big brothers rescue. But I'm sure you're right Elena, there's nothing left to save. You can focus all your energy on redeeming the other Salvatore brother."

Before she could even formulate a reply he was gone, and she was left standing in the hall way students rushing past her as the bell rang and feeling as though she might suffocate if she didn't get out of here soon.

"Elena, get in here before I lock the door." Ms. Carin called from her classroom across the hall.

Without another thought Elena turned on her heel and headed for the exit, not heeding the warnings shouted out after her by her least favourite teacher.

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><p>Half an hour later Elena sat on her couch next to Damon after having just relayed the story of their plan gone <em>almost <em>horrifying wrong.

"Ah, so Saint Stefan is back, the prodigal son returns. He never can resist being the hero, can he?"

She smacked his arm, her fingers tingling as they came in contact with the hard muscle of his bicep.

"How can you be so cavalier about this? Did you not hear me? You could have died! Klaus is always, _always_ two steps ahead. We were stupid to assume anything less. If it wasn't for Katherine.." She trailed off then, not able to finish that sentence.

He quirked an eyebrow at her emotional display. "Elena, calm down. Everything's fine, I'm fine, you're fine, Stefan is Stefan again. Isn't this everything you wanted?"

Wasn't it? But the problem was Stefan wasn't _really _Stefan again, maybe he never would be. And the fact that the prospect of losing Damon scared her infinitely more than the revelation that Stefan was perhaps just as lost to her, was enough to make her question a lot of things.

"You promised you'd never leave me." she whispered.

He looked confused and a little surprised. "I know, I won't."

She turned her body to face his on the couch and grabbed the front of his customary black shirt. "No, I mean it. You_ can't _die. I wouldn't survive it."

"Elena.." He looked down at her hands that were fisting his shirt and then back into her piercing eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." He said it softly, but firmly.

Suddenly and impulsively she tugged on the front of his shirt so that his face was inches from hers. Before she could lose her nerve she closed her eyes and brought her lips down on his. To say this was the last thing he expected when Elena had texted him telling him to come over right away would be an understatement, but he quickly responded in the like.

She poured all the need and all the previously pent up passion into that one kiss. She moved her hands from his shirt, pausing to feel the taut muscles of his abs through the fabric, to behind his neck, pulling him incomprehensively closer. She rearranged positions so she was lying down on the couch and he eagerly followed, hovering over her, their lips not disconnecting once.

Finally she had to break away for air and Damon paused, wondering if she would now be coming to her senses and pushing him away, acting properly horrified that she had allowed herself to be kissed by the evil Damon Salvatore. But instead she just whispered, "I can't lose you, I need you." reiterating her previous sentiments, and crushed her lips back to his.

"I'm not going anywhere." he repeated in between kisses. "I love you,"

She didn't respond, but she kept kissing him and she said needed him and for now that was enough. For now that was more than he had dared hope for.


End file.
